[Rover] WA5VJB Cheap Yagis ? ? ?

[Phil Lefever]

At 10:35 AM 9/5/02, you wrote:
>Has anyone out there tried any of these antennas???

Yep, these are decent very inexpensive and easy to build
designs. They work pretty well too. You can see some gain
figures for ones people have built on the Central States
VHF Society web page. http://www.csvhfs.org/CSVHFANT.HTML
Look at '98 or '99 and there are a few 'VJB designs tested.

>Just made my first for 144.200 and it looks like I have already dropped it
>and ran over it with the car!
>
>Since it is almost impossible to get the 1/8" (#10) solid wire elements
>straight, how much will this affect the thing???

As long as they aren't bent up too badly it won't make a
measurable difference. Get them close to straight and it
will work. I have seen some of these made with 3/16" alum
rod elements which are a bit tougher then soft copper wire.

>Going to try to get it tested tonight with a MFJ SWR tester to see if it
>works.

You mean to see if it matches. An SWR meter can't tell you if
an antenna actually radiates! My Bird wattmeter still thinks
my dummy load is a perfect antenna but I know better ;)

73

Phil


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Phil Lefever - KB=D8NES			Twin Cities Repeater Club
kb0nes@tcrc.org			Tech Team Co-Chairman
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